The more you travel the better you get at it. It sounds silly but with experience you learn how to pack the right way. I remember one of my first trips abroad travelling around Europe by rail fresh out of high school. I brought all these books with me and a paint set. I really had too much stuff so I've learnt to be more economical.

I had one companion. He was a teacher from the Ukraine who spoke English so we could communicate a bit. I learnt a few Russian words but it was hard to concentrate.

I learnt pity sympathy and what it was like to be at the other end of the stick. Such lessons can't be learnt in lecture halls.

When I finish a picture I don't show it to anyone if I feel it's not good enough yet. I've learnt to listen to my partners and my friends. For me it's the biggest success if they like it.

When I learnt to write I became my own master I became very strong and that strength is with me to this very day.

I learnt more about politics during one South Dakota dust storm than in seven years at the university.

The very first lesson that I learnt from the Qur'an was the message of unity and peace.

I took the fear of marriage from my parents' relationship because I didn't want to end up in a relationship like that whereas my brothers and sisters learnt a lesson from it and made sure they didn't carry it on into their own marriages.

It sounds like a cliche but I also learnt that you're not going to fall for the right person until you really love yourself and feel good about how you are.

I've finally learnt how to say 'No comment'. To appear in the tabloids is a real learning curve and a steep one at that. You had better learn quick or you get burnt.